Samantha May

Samantha May (born 16 September 1987), also known as Sam May, is a former Australian netball player who played for Hertfordshire Mavericks, Wasps and Loughborough Lightning in the Netball Superleague, featuring in five grand finals in 2015, 2017, 2018, 2019 and 2021, winning three times. In Australia, May played for Sydney Swifts and AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy and for New South Wales Swifts in the ANZ Championship.

Samantha May

Personal information
Born	(1987-09-16) 16 September 1987 (age 38) [1] Sydney, Australia[2]
Height	1.83 m (6 ft 0 in)
University	University of Hertfordshire
Netball career
Playing position(s): GD, WD, GK Years Club team(s) Apps 2005–2006 Sydney Swifts 13 2007 AIS Canberra Darters 2008 Australian Institute of Sport 2009–2013 New South Wales Swifts 2011 → NNSW Waratahs 2014–2016 Hertfordshire Mavericks 2016–2019 Wasps 2017–2019 → University of Hertfordshire 2019–2021 Loughborough Lightning Coaching career Years Team(s) 2014– Hatfield Netball Club 2014–2016 Highgate School 2016– Haileybury 2019– Loughborough College

Early life and education

Between 2017 and 2019 May attended the University of Hertfordshire and gained a BSc in Business and Sports Management.^[3] May also played netball for the University of Hertfordshire at BUCS intervarsity level.^[4]

Playing career

Australia

Sydney Swifts

May made 13 appearances for Sydney Swifts in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.^[5]

AIS Canberra Darters

In 2007 May played for AIS Canberra Darters in the Commonwealth Bank Trophy.^[6]

AIS

In 2008 May played for the Australian Institute of Sport in the Australian Netball League.^[7]

NSW Swifts

Between 2009 and 2013, May played for NSW Swifts in the ANZ Championship. In March 2009 she made her debut for Swifts in a pre-season tournament. She then made her ANZ Championship debut in Round 1 of the 2009 season in a match against Canterbury Tactix.^{[8][9][10][11][12]} In 2011 May was a member of the NNSW Waratahs team that won the Australian Netball League title.^[13]

National team

Between 2007 and 2008, May represented Australia at under-21 level.^{[2][14][15][16]} She had earlier represented Australia at under-17 level.^[17]

Netball Superleague

Hertfordshire Mavericks

Between 2014 and 2016, May played for Hertfordshire Mavericks in the Netball Superleague.^{[18][19][20][21]} In 2015 she played in her first Netball Superleague grand final, but finished on losing team as Mavericks lost 56–39 to Surrey Storm.^[22][23]

Wasps

Between 2017 and 2019, May played for Wasps.^{[2][20][21][24]} May helped Wasps win two successive Netball Superleague titles and played in two further grand finals in 2017 and 2018.^[25][26][27]

Loughborough Lightning

In 2019 May signed for Loughborough Lightning.^[2][24] She was subsequently a member of the Lightning team that won the 2019 British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship. On 22 June 2021, May announced her retirement from elite netball, following in the footsteps of fellow announcers Karyn Bailey and Jo Trip. In her penultimate game with Loughborough Lightning, she was the POM and after winning the grand final with them on Sunday 27 June 2021, she retired.^[28][29]

Coaching career

May has worked as a netball coach at several schools and netball clubs including Highgate School, Haileybury and Loughborough College.^[2][3][30]

Honours

Loughborough Lightning

• Netball Superleague
  • Winners: 2021
• British Fast5 Netball All-Stars Championship
  • Winners: 2019

Wasps Netball

• Netball Superleague
  • Winners: 2017, 2018

Hertfordshire Mavericks

• Netball Superleague
  • Runners up: 2015

NNSW Waratahs

• Australian Netball League
  • Winners: 2011